UCM to Begin A+ Recognition and Dual Credit Scholarships in 2020

The University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg is implementing the A+ Recognition Scholarship and the UCM Dual Credit Scholarship, with the first awards will be available for the 2020 fall enrollment cycle.

The A+ Recognition Scholarship is financial award valued at $500 per year ($250 per semester) and is in recognition of students who have completed the A+ program at a Missouri high school. Currently, the Missouri Department of Higher Education offers a scholarship to students who meet academic, attendance, tutoring/mentoring and citizenship criteria and enroll in a two-year degree program.

The UCM A+ Recognition Scholarship is for incoming freshmen who choose to enroll full time in a 4-year degree program directly out of high school, and have been certified as completing the A+ program.

“We’re excited about this opportunity for students,” said Drew Griffin, assistant vice provost for admissions and financial aid at UCM. “The UCM A+ Recognition Scholarship along with other federal, state and institutional financial aid makes UCM an even better option for A+-certified students who want to pursue a four-year degree.”

Griffin added that the A+ Recognition Scholarship is a stackable award, which means a student may qualify for this award on top of other federal, state and other UCM scholarships to assist in financing their education.

A press release from UCM says students who are interested in pursuing the A+ Recognition Scholarship must apply for admission and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1, 2020.

Award criteria include; meeting certain ACT score and minimum grade point average requirements, along with graduation from an A+-eligible Missouri high school, which must be indicated on the UCM admission application. The actual award will be made upon confirmation of completed A+ requirements from the final high school transcript.

Griffin said the scholarship is renewable for one year with completion of 24 UCM credit hours per year. The student also must have achieved a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher at UCM.

The UCM Dual Credit Scholarship is described as a $1,000 ($500 per semester) award, and is available to all incoming freshmen who have taken at least one dual credit course with UCM. Students must also have received 3.0 or higher grade point average.

This award is renewable for up to six semesters if a recipient maintains a 3.0+ GPA, and enrolls as a full-time students each semester.

UCM says the A+ Recognition Scholarship and the Dual Credit Scholarship are among many initiatives the university is taking to make college as accessible and affordable as possible for students.

Tony Lubbers, UCM director of financial aid, stressed that “UCM has increased its scholarships to incoming freshmen by 4 percent or almost $900, 000 over the last two years. During this time, we have seen student loans decrease by 12.8 percent resulting in over $7 million less debt.”

To learn more about the A+ Recognition Scholarship and the Dual Credit Scholarship, call Student Financial Services at 660-543-8266.